Automatic electric display-sign.



J. C. EUBANK. AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC DISPLAY SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED 0012.26. 1911.

Patented June 24, 1913.

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J'. C. EUBANK.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC DISPLAY SIGN. APPLICATION FILED 00126, 1911.

Patented June 24, 1913.

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J. C'. EUBANK.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC DISPLAY SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED O0T.26, 1911.

Patented June 24,1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. 0. BUBANK. AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC DISPLAY SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.26, 1911.

Patented June 24, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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JUDSQN C. EUBANK, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

AUTOIMQLTIC ELECTRIC DISPLAY-SIGN.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JUDsoN C. EUBANK, citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Electric Display-Signs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric display signs, and embodies groups of plain or v colored lamps so connected that any desired number thereof may be illuminated to display any symbol, letter, word, or combination of words..

The apparatus is preferably arranged to automatically display the words of a sentence successively and then after a short intermission simultaneously, and certain of the parts are interchangeable so that the reading of the sign can be readily alteredA as desired. As the lamps successively forming each letter of a sentence are made to l or series of sentences, .indenitely considering the large number of sentences that may be displayed at 'each cycle, and embodies means whereby sparking and burning of parts may be avoided while changing the several circuits.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be made to the 'accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus assembled ready for use.' Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the circuits for one group of lamps. Fig. 3 is an elevation of one of the contact bar wheels and a Contact bar in position thereon, employed in carrying out the invention. Fig. 4 is an edge view partly in section of said wheel, with a contact bar in position thereon. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of ene of the lamps and a reflector therefor.. Fig. 6 is a diagram of a I'oom- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 24, 1913.

Application led October 26, 1911. Serial No. 657,004.

mutator for'controlling the lamp circuits. Fig. 7 shows one side of one of the contact arms, whereby certain lamps are selected to displav a predetermined letter, number, symbol, or other character. Fig. 8 is a face View of said' contact arm. Fig. 9 shows the reverse side Vof the contact arm to that disclosed by Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a cross section of the contact arm taken on line X-X of Fig. 7. Fig. 11 is a section on line XI- XI of Fig. 1, showing gearing for imparting intermittent rotary motion to the contact bar'wheels, and Fig. 12 is a side elevation of one of the contact bars.

1 designates the 4commutator which is drivelr by a motor 2, through the intermediacy of a, train of gearing, so that the speed of said commutator will be considerably less than the speed of the motor. Said commutator, in the present instance, comprises an insulated cylinder 4, a group o segmental conductors 5, a group 'of segmental conductors 6, an annular conductor 7 which is connected to all of the segmental conducters by wires 8, .and a plurality of brushes 9 and 9, which coact with the segmental conductors and the annular conductor, respectively. The group of conductors 5 diminish appear. The conductors 6 are preferably ofv the same length to cause the letters to simultaneously appear -and to simultaneously disappear after they have been dark for a time due to the blank space 10' between the rear ends of conductors 5 and the front ends of the conductors 6. A blank space 11 is left between the rear ends of conductors 6 and the front ends of conductors 5, to interrupt the lamp circuits hereinafter described. Brushes 9 and 9a are arranged side by side upon a bar 12, supported by brackets 13.

Cylinder 4 is mounted upon a shaft 14 journaled in bearingsv 15, provided at one end withone of the lgears of train 3, and at its opposite end with a disk 16, provided with a laterally-projecting wrist pin 17. At each revolution of the disk 16` the wristepin 17 engages and moves one step a notched wheel 18, Xed upon a shaft 19, journaled in lbaai-attrs 2o. shaft 191s provided with a.

series of contact bar Wheels 21 keyed or otherwise fixed thereon and provided at one side With a plurality of radial grooves 22, covered'at their inner ends by an' annulus 23.

4The grooves 22 'of wheels 21 are adapted to receive interchangeable contact bars 24, each of which has circuit-closing 'fingers 25 and 25a, of such number and so related ,that when brought into play a certain letter,

v number, or symbol will be flashed on Ithe sign, and said contact barbeing interchangeable, the Wording of the sign can be readily altered,v as desired. Each contact bar has \a linger-hold 26, projecting beyond the periphery of its perspective Wheel 21, so that it can be readily removed from said Wheel, and is provided at its ends With tongues 27 and 28, the former of which overlaps the periphery of the Wheel 21, Whilethe lat-ter engages the inner side of annulus 23, to prevent lateral displacement of the contact bar y from its respective groove 22, into which it lfits sufficiently snug to prevent accidental longitudinal'r displacement.

The fingers 25 of each contact bar 24 are adapted 'Ato coact `With a like number of spring contacts 29, and the large linger 25a with a large spring contact 29a, o n a companion Contact arm 30, secured by a setscrew 31 upon a stationary bar 32, fixed in 'a pair of brackets 33. rllhe spring contacts 29 and 29a are held out in the path ,of

their respective fingers, by springs 34,

' being provided in each group` to form several letters or symbols, one at a time. The

lamps are supported by an insulating board 40, which together With the parts carried thereby maybe placed at some distance from the remainder of the apparatus. Each lamp is provided With an .outwardly iaringre- Hector 41, pla-tgI of glass 42, which maybe plain or colored, and, preferably, has a ground surface, so that-the lightn from the lamp. will be diffused over the entire surface of said plate. The groups of lamps 38 are preferably arranged in horizontal and vertical rows, as shown in Fig. 1, although this arrangement may be varied as desired.

`@The negative poles of each group of lamps are. connected to a circuit-Wire 43,.each of which leads to one of the brushes 9 of the provided at its front side With a' commutator, there being one brush for each group of lamps. L

The current for illuminating the lamps 38 may be derived from any desired source, a generator 44 being shown in the present instance. The current passes from said generator over a main line Wire 45 to a plurality of kbranch-Wires 46, which communicate With the large lugs 36a on the contact arms 30. The current returns to the generator over a main line Wire 48 from the large brush 9a of the commutator 1.

In practice the commutator 1, Which travels at ,low speed completes one revolution, while the contact bar Wheels 21 are advanced one stgp, the distance from one radial groovey 22 to another, through the intermediacy ofthe gears 16 and 18. This successively brings the contact bars 24, with Which the grooves 22 are filled, into' coincidence With their respective contacts 29 and 29, and thereby closes circuits with certain of the lamps. Starting from the generator 44, the` current flows through the main liney Wire 45, thence through the branch-Wires 46, to the large contacts 29 thence through the 'large lugs 36a to the large fingers 25a of the contact bars, thence through said contact bars and those fingers 25 thereof, which are in engagement With certain of the contacts 29, thence through said contacts 29, through lugsA 36, branch- Wires 37, the lamps 38, thence through the return Wires 43, the commutator 1, and back to thev generator through the main line Wire 47.

To make different letters appear in any group at different times, it is only necessary to change the respective contact bars.

When the contact bars pass into and out of engagement With thel spring contacts 29 and 29a, burning of the parts is avoided by the commutator, the blank space 11 of .which interrupts the main line circuit during movement of tlie contact bar Wheels.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a group of lamp circuits, and automatic means to select any combination of circuits to cause the lamps to display any desired character, said means consisting of a rotary disk, a series of radial contact-bars carried by saiddisk, a row of fingers on each cont-act-bar to select a certain combination of circuits, and a stationary contact-member radially-arranged relative to said rotary disk, and having contacts for each circuit to coact with said fingers in selecting the desired combination of circuits.

2. In combination, a'group of lamp circuits, and automatic means to select any combination of circuits to cause the lamps to display any desired character, said means consisting of a rotary member, a series of interchangeable contact-bars radiallymounted upon said rotary member, a row of lingers on each contact-bar to select a certain combination of circuits, and a stationary contact-member radially-arranged! relative to said rotary-member and having resilient contacts for each circuit to' coact with the lingers in selecting the desired combination of circuits;

3. In combination, groups of lamp circuits, andautomatic means to select any combination of circuits to cause the lamps to display any desired character, said means consisting of a plurality of disks spaced apart and mounted side by side upon a driven shaft, a series of radial contact-bars carried by each disk, a row of fingers on each contact-bar to select a certain combination of circuits, a finger-hold on, each contact-bar, and a plurality of stationary contact-members radially-arranged relative to said rotary disk, said contact-members hav- 4 ing contacts for each circuit to coact with the lingers in selecting the desired combination of circuits.

4. In combination, a group ofvlamp circuits, an automatic means to select any combination of circuits to cause the lamps to display any desired character, said means consisting of a rotary member having radial grooves, interchangeable contact-bars slidably-mounted in said grooves, tongues on said contact-bars to secure them to said rotary-member, fingers on each bar to select a certain combination of circuits, and a stationary contact-member radially-arranged relative to said rotary disk, and having contacts for each circuit to coact With the fingers in selecting the desired combination of circuits.

In'testimony whereof I aliiX my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses.

JUDSON C. EUBANK.

Witnesses:

C. P. BARNETT, F. G. FISCHER. 

